After it All
by Mr.Hazard
Summary: A direct following after episode 25, this is how I see what happened after Taiga's return. They will learn what it is like to be engaged, learn the struggles of gaining their families blessing, as well as learning just how deeply they truly love one another. Join us as we see the next chapter of Ryuuji and Taiga!
1. Chapter 1

**After it All**

**A Toradora! Fanfic**

**Chapter 1: Blessings**

*WHACK!*

"Wh-What are you saying embarrassing stuff like that for?! Y-your'e supposed to… I don't know, you're supposed to wait for the right mood or something!"* yelled Taiga, flustered and red faced as she looked up at me. The sudden blow from her was surprising, but not unlike her, and even through the bruise I could feel forming, I couldn't help but chuckle as she went on. Same Taiga as before, and that was something I wouldn't change for the world.

"Hey! Ryuuji! Are you even listening mutt?!" she said as she noticed my chuckling. She reared back as if she were going to aim another hit to my gut, but before she did, I reached out and pulled her into a hug, which seemed to work as she froze when I pulled her in. I kept like this for a short pause, my nose pressing into her hair as I breathed in the familiar scent. It had been over a year since I had seen her in person, and now that she returned, I never wanted her to leave again.

"Of course I am… and I missed you, Taiga" I told her, my voice gentle as I enjoyed the feeling of having her close again. She was only tense for a few seconds before I felt her relax, her arms finding their way around me as she tightened her grip, returning the embrace. I could feel her tremble slightly, burying her head in my chest as she balled the back of my shirt into her fists, as if I would be whisked away at any moment and she were the only one holding me in place.

"I…I…" she stammered, he voice cracking a little, "I MISSED YOU TOO! GOD I MISSED YOU SO MUCH! I DON'T EVER WANNA LEAVE WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE EVER AGAN!" From this point she sobbed into my shirt, I could feel as her tears soaked through. Her grip tightened on me so much at that point that I had to lean against the window sill to keep myself from stumbling. I let her sob a little more as I stroked her hair.

"You didn't have to say goodbye, Taiga." I said to her. She looked up at me with curious and wet eyes, wondering what I meant by that statement. "You never really left" I continued, "sure you were gone a while, but you were never leaving, what is the point of saying goodbye when you know you'll be back?" I looked at her tear filled eyes and smiled at her. She wiped her tears with a sleeve then looked back at me with her own growing smile. Without another word, I leaned down to her, closing my eyes and kissing her. She was expecting this because I was met halfway, her legs bringing her small body up a few more inches so she could accept the gesture. I missed kissing her, flashes of the night we shared our first went on in my mind. The makeshift veil made from a bed sheet, the failure that was me trying to make up wedding vows… the look in her eyes as she asked for just one more kiss…

Our lips parted slowly, savoring the feel of one another before gazing back into each other's eyes. She raised her hand up to my cheek, caressing it gently before standing back up. "Come on, let's go see the others" she said, taking my hand and heading toward the door. We walked hand in hand down the hallway toward the stairs, not passing anyone due to everyone being outside and socializing for the graduation ceremony.

"So… how was it all this time with your mother?" I asked her as we made our way down the stairs, curious as to how the past year had been for her mother, not to mention her new stepfather and sibling.

Taiga pondered the question a little while before replying. "Well, at the start it was… pretty awkward. I think my mom was surprised to even see me come home, like she was convinced that I wasn't ever going to come back. On top of that there was the whole meeting her new husband. He was nice… but he tried too hard on making a good impression, like he wanted me to start calling him dad the minute we met. But as everything went on, it really wasn't too bad. My mom and I talked… a lot… about a lot of things… about my dad running off, about the baby being born… about you…"

Her last statement piqued my interest and I looked at her with a questioning gaze. "Me?" I asked, "What all was said about me?"

"Well, it was mostly just her asking about you, what you did, who you were friends with, how we met each other." Replied Taiga, her gaze going off into the distance as she thought of the conversation.

"So she wanted to learn more about me huh?" I asked her before giving a playfully sly grin, "Is she making sure I'll make a good husband?" I got the reaction that I wanted, because Taiga looked up suddenly flustered and wide eyed, her face turning red at my question. But instead of yelling or having some kind of outburst, she giggled.

"Mmm, I'd say more like a good housewife. I told her all about how you can cook, clean, sew, and your strangely good ability of designing dresses. Being such a good dog as you are, she was clearly impressed." She said with a sarcastic grin, her tongue sticking out at me. I couldn't help but feel my face burn red with embarrassment. If that was the case, Taiga's mother probably thought I was the most un-masculine guy around. Taiga seemed to notice this because she bumped me and said, "I also told her how sweet, caring, selfless, and strong you are, so no need to worry about losing guy points there."

This made me feel a little better, hopefully she didn't think of me as a total wuss. We made it down to where the others were, near the entrance of the school. Upon opening the doors, Taiga excitedly scanned the crowd of students until they locked onto the one particular girl with the short red hair. Without hesitation, she took off in a sprint, shouting "MINORIIIN!" before leaping toward her with arms wide open. Minori Kushieda only managed to turn just as Taiga crashed into her, effectively knocking her over and gaining a yelp of surprise from the collision. If there was ever a time I would ever see Kushieda stunned and speechless, it was just then, being bowled over by the tiny girl whom was her best friend.

"T-T-T…..TAIGA!" Kushieda yelled, flinging her arms around the small girl, joy ever-present in her voice as she hugged her old friend. "TAIGA! WH-WHEN DID YOU GET BACK?!" she exclaimed as she stood back up, still holding Taiga close to her and rocking side to side. This gained the attention of almost everyone around us, including Takasu, Kawashima, Haruto, Noto, Kashii and Kihara. Noticing the return of the small friend, they all came rushing, shouting out her name and waving.

"Minorin! I can't breathe!" said Taiga as she was smothered into an ecstatic Kushieda's chest. She realized that the poor little girl was being choked out and let up a little on the hold she had. Taiga caught her breath as she giggled and looked up. "I actually just got here, I came to surprise Ryuugi and then I wanted to see everyone else. I missed you all so much! I even missed the Chihuahua's nagging!" she said, earning a scoff from Ami.

Soon enough, everyone was surrounding Taiga, welcoming her back, cheering that 'The Palmtop Tiger' had returned once again. She seemed to enjoy the welcome, hugging friends, talking with classmates, all the while Kushieda was hovering around her, obviously overjoyed to the point of tears that her dear friend was back.

The reunion went on a little while longer until it was finally time for the graduation ceremony. It was a nice celebration, the teachers spoke about how proud they were with their students, how this was probably one of the most memorable classes to have ever been in the school. Even Kitamura, being the student body president, went on stage to talk about even though we might be going separate paths, the times we spent and the relationships made will always bring us back to each other. As this was said, it made me look at Taiga, the small girl sitting at my side, her hand intertwined with my own, the girl who even after more than a year, has found her way back to me. I don't know what it was, whether the way the sun hit her, the look in her eyes as she smiled among her friends, perhaps the way she looked up and smiled her beautiful smile. Whatever it was, I was hopelessly in love with her.

The ceremony ended with cheers, leaving everyone to socialize with one another until they dispersed back to their homes. Some left in groups, to celebrate the graduation, others left with their families. Taiga and I said our final goodbyes to our friends, promising to meet up for one final hurrah before Kitamura left for America to study abroad. We made our way back to my home when the question popped into my mind. "Hey Taiga, since you don't have the apartment anymore, where will you be staying? I mean… I hope you aren't going to leave any time soon."

Taiga smiled and looked up at me with a look that showed she knew something I did not. "Don't worry about living arrangements, everything should be fine by the end of the day." She replied, swinging our hands together mischievously as we approached my home. It made me wonder what she meant, what is gonna happen by the end of the day? I sighed before letting out a small chuckle, making Taiga look at me curiously.

"You know, things are probably gonna change rather soon."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… I _am _eighteen now."

Taiga stopped in her tracks and looked up at me wide eyed, no noise escaping her lips. She let out a small breath and smiled, her gaze softening. "Trust me, I know that. It's one of the reasons I was so excited to come back. But before anything like that can happen, it's like you said. We need to get _everyone's _blessing." She said as we approached my door, reaching for the handle. She opened it as she said, "And with that said, Ryuuji… I'd like you to meet… my mother."

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><p><strong>*AN: This was a direct line from the Toradora! series, episode 25, I take no credit for this line!**

**Also, I really hope that you guys enjoy this! I am open to all reviews and constructive criticism. Let me know what you guys think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Conditions**

"Y-your mother?" I stammered just as I turned the corner into the main room. There at the end of the kotatsu, next to Hasuko, sat a woman with the same colored hair as Taiga, but cut shorter. She wore glasses and was dressed almost as if she were a business woman. The last time I saw her was the night that Taiga and I ran away together. She was trying to take Taiga away that night… I wonder if she would try that again…

"Hello Mr. Takasu" she said as he walked in with Taiga, her expression holding a small smile that didn't seem completely sincere, "I am Mrs. Hakado, Taiga's mother. But I am sure you remember… I just wish it was under better circumstances then."

Her saying this made me remember that night… the fighting, the yelling… I sighed and lowered my head in a respectful greeting. "It is good to see you ma'am" I said to her, "I know our first introductions weren't… ideal. Hopefully we can fix that today." This earned a more sincere smile from her, which was a score in my book.

"I think that Ryuuji said that he was going to make some pork cutlets for dinner tonight, right sweetheart?" said Yasuko, looking at me with her usual gentle smile. I caught her hint however, and smiled.

"Of course" I said, "but if we are going to have guests, I should go to the marketplace and pick up some more."

"I'll go with you!" offered Taiga happily, looking at her mother who nodded with a surprisingly warm smile. With that, we were back out of the house and on our way to the market. Taiga seemed to be in a much better mood after having me speak with her mother, as short as it was.

"She likes you" Taiga said matter of factly as we walked hand in hand. I looked at her curiously and she seemed to have picked up my unasked question. "I've been around her long enough now to pick up on the little things. Just so long as you impress her with your cooking, I don't think we'll have anything to worry about!"

I chuckled as she said this, if there was any way I could get someone on my side, all I'd have to do is invite them to dinner. Regardless, I still wanted to make sure that her mother would know that I would take care of Taiga. We made it to the marketplace and picked up more cutlets as well as a few more ingredients before making our way out. On our way back, however, Taiga pulled me another route through an older path that was hardly used anymore. Even now it was completely empty. "Uh… T-Taiga? Why are-"

"I couldn't stand waiting until later, and while we have some time to ourselves, I figured now would be the best chance" she said excitedly and somewhat hurriedly. Before I could ask what she was talking about, she set down the bag she was holding and jumped at me, flinging her arms around my neck and pulling herself up until her lips met mine with enthusiasm.

I was taken by complete surprise, going as far as dropping my own bag and falling against the wall of the building behind me. However, the feeling of her lips were inviting, and she was right, this really was our best chance to be this close together before we get back home. Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around her waist to keep her from hanging and returned the kiss with equal excitement. I mean, come on, I only kissed her once today after over a _year _of not being with her, sue me if the need for physical affection was intense. We kissed more intensely than we ever had, to the point that I opened my mouth enough to invite the sensation of her tongue caressing my own. She brought one of her hands up, raking her fingers through my hair, affectionate and at the same time, exciting. I could hear her moan softly as we continued our tongue wrestle, the sound of her being so intimate was borderline arousing should I say so myself. Eventually we broke our kiss as the need for oxygen was too great. She sighed and laid against me, her head resting on my chest as her fingers played with the side of my shirt. I placed a small kiss on the top of her head and wrapped my arms around her as we stayed this way for a while. Then as a minute or so passed, Taiga said something.

"I love you too, Ryuuji."

I felt my hear skip a beat as she said this, and I wrapped my arms a little tighter around her, kissing the top of her head again. Perhaps she was right, and she was just better at finding the right mood to say it, though I found it far from embarrassing.

Before the moment could go much longer, then bumped me in the chest with her head hard enough to get a small 'oof' from me, then she picked up her bag. "Well come on you perverted dog, our mom's won't wait forever!" she said with her usual Taiga attitude, but with a hint of humor into it. I smiled and picked up my own bag and followed her the rest of the way home.

Dinner ended up splendidly, the pork cutlets turned out great and the rice I made with it blended well. All the while, Inko wouldn't stop stuttering out questions of whether or not it was bird we were having, as if he was paranoid that we were eating a feathered relative. We finished it all off with tea then I stood up to take up the plates and wash them. Taiga was caught in a conversation with Yasuko, but I couldn't hear what was being said. As I washed the dishes, the sound of footsteps caught my attention and I looked over to see Taiga's mother standing there.

"M-Mrs. Hadako! I h-hope you enjoyed dinner" I stammered as she studied me with and small smile. She nodded her head and replied;

"Of course, it was as amazing as my daughter said it would be. You seem to have quite a gift there."

Her compliment made me blush embarrassedly, but I smiled back that she had enjoyed the meal. I looked back over as she continued, "If you do not mind, I would like to speak with you in private."

"O-oh, of course ma'am." I replied, curious and nervous as to what she was going to say. I finished the plate I was washing and set it to dry before cleaning off my hands and leading her to the balcony. As I opened the door, I looked up at the window that used to be Taiga's. It was complete habit that I did this, I couldn't even say how many times I would look at the window, hoping to see the small tiger girl open the curtains to ask what I was going to cook for her that day.

"Takasu" said Mrs. Hadako, taking me out of my trance to look over at her. Her face had a hardened seriousness to her expression, almost as if I was about to receive a lecture about something I did wrong. It made me feel like a child inside, but I did my best to keep a mature stature as I listened.

"I find it funny, I had only met you once before, and that was merely a few seconds, but it feels like I know you rather well. Taiga spoke much about you over this past year, and I know she has had dreams about seeing you again. When I saw you two run away together… it was frightening. My little girl, as defiant as she was, was still my daughter. Seeing her run off with a boy I knew nothing about was scary to me. I didn't know what you two were thinking, I saw it as completely foolish. Even to this day, I cannot say that I completely agree with her marrying you, if it only be for the reason you are both so young. But be that as it may, I know for a fact if I try to hold Taiga back on what she truly desires, she will fight me tooth and nail. I fought with her for too long to allow that to happen, and seeing her adamant as she was on me meeting you, I can honestly say she really does love you."

Her saying this almost made it hard to stand up straight. To hear her saying that she wouldn't fight Taiga about the two of us being together… did it mean we were going to have her blessing to get married?

"However" she continued unexpectedly, "I do not intend on seeing off my daughter without knowing she will be properly cared for. That means that you need to step up on a few things. One would be, I want to know you two will be able to afford and manage a home you can at least live in comfortably, nothing huge, but a proper home. Second, I want your word that no matter how hard times would get, that you will not stop loving her as much as you do now. And third… I hope you get her a nice engagement ring, not something generic, but something that will mean something to you both."

Hearing her say these conditions, I found myself standing strong, not weak kneed like earlier. It was like a challenge that I was more than willing to accept, not just to pass, but excel in. Looking her in the eyes, I said with a strong voice, "I will see to it that these conditions are upheld. I will care for Taiga to the utmost of my ability and make sure she stays happy. I am willing to do what it takes to keep her in my life… I love her, and that is something that will never change."

After saying this, a much bigger smile came across Mrs. Hadako's face, it was warm and welcoming, and made me breathe and internal sigh of relief. "Very well Mr. Takasu. I expect you will uphold what I have said, and I expect nothing less from you. You have my blessing to marry my daughter." She replied, lowering her head respectfully at my response. I smiled back at her, and together we made our way back into the house. Taiga looked at her mother then to me, giving her warm smile that I had come to love so much. I gave a quick thumbs up to her and her smile widened before looking back at her mom.

"Well Takasu, this dinner was absolutely lovely, and I do hope to come back soon to try it again. I wish I could stay later, but the sun is setting and I have a train to catch." She said as she gathered her coat and other belongings. I looked at Taiga curiously as she didn't even make a move to get up, at least until her mother walked over to give her a hug. "You behave yourself Taiga, and come back to visit me whenever you can. Ok?"

Hold on… I was confused. Taiga wasn't going… with… her… It was then I looked over and noticed the suitcase on the floor, a small tuft of one of her dresses poking out. My eyes widened as realization settled in, but before I could say anything, Taiga's mother was walking out the door saying, "I know you will take good care of my Taiga. I will come to visit again soon."

"Wh-What… d-does this… does this mean that"

"That I am living here now? Exactly!" said Taiga, finishing my sentence before snatching up the last helping of pork cutlet and helping herself to it. All of my words caught in my throat as I tried to say something, but the sudden realization that Taiga and I were living together now… it was happy… but downright overwhelming. Yasuko looked at me with curious eyes and said;

"Ryuuji, is everything ok?"

"T-T-T….Ti-Tim-Tim…" stammered out Inko just as I fell to the ground.

"Timber!"

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><p><strong>I have to say that I had a blast writing this chapter. Granted it started somewhat dry, but then I decided to add the small bit of fluff before heading into the serious talk. Anyway, I'll probably have another chapter up this week, so hopefully I can get a few more reviews and maybe a few more people to follow the story! Like I said before, any kind of tips you have, feel free to let me know in a review! The next chapter may be a bit of a filler, but I will make sure to keep it interesting! Expect the rest of the gang in it!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Goodbyes**

"Ryuuji? Ryuuji! Hey mutt! Wake up!" yelled Taiga as she shook me out of my mini coma. The sudden realization that my girlfriend was now living here must have been enough to topple me over. I sat up and rubbed the back of my head before looking over to see an angry Taiga. "If you didn't want me to live here you should've just said something!" she said with a huff. She crossed her arms and I could tell that even though she covered it, she was a little hurt at my reaction. It made me feel pretty crappy.

"N-no that's not it Taiga!" I said in an attempt to fix my mistake. "It was just surprising was all! I didn't expect that you would immediately come live here after being back so soon!"

"Well what did you expect, dumbass?" she snapped, "It's not like I was just gonna go back home! You know how far away that is?!"

"Yeah… I do" I said gently, looking at the ground. This caught her off guard and she looked at me curiously. Looking back up at her, I fixed her with a gentle gaze and said "After over a year of you being so far away, the last thing I would ever want is for you to go back with your mother. Granted I didn't expect you would be living here… but now that I know you are, I couldn't be happier! And knowing that we have your mother's approval… well that just makes it even better." I opened my arm to invite her for an embrace. She didn't budge for a few seconds but then let out a huff and turned around, falling back so she would land into my side. I chuckled and wrapped my arm around her, resting my hand on her lap.

"Good then, because I wasn't planning on leaving." She muttered, taking my large hand in her two small ones, fiddling with my fingers as she sat there. I smiled as I watched her, seeing how cute she can make little actions like that look. She eventually pulled my hand up to her lips and gave it a small kiss before turning around and kissing me. Afterwards, she stood back up and said "I am going to unpack, then I'll help you finish with the dishes."

I smiled and nodded as I watched her walk over to her suitcase and pick it up, talking it over and opening the door to… my room. Oh dear, I was tempted to fall over again, but instead I shook my head and chuckled, standing back up and heading to the kitchen.

I had assumed that Taiga wouldn't be done before I finished the dishes, and that assumption was right. Just as I had put away that last dish, I turned around to see her just getting out of my… our room. "Took you long enough" I said teasingly as she walked up to me.

She stuck out her tongue and let out a noise that sounded something like "meh" before leaning forward and pressing her face into my chest. I laughed and caressed the back of her head with my hand, she grabbed my free one and wrapped it around her before stepping up onto my feet, perching herself onto them. "Walk" she said in an adorable fashion. I couldn't help but to comply, and with an awkward waddle, I made my way through to the room, hearing her giggle as she tried to stay on my feet, hopping off as I slid open my door. Looking down, I noticed a second futon next to my own, and memories of being back at grandmas flooded to me. I also noticed the small group of dresses that now hung from my closet, my shirts and such pushed to one side to make room.

"I hope you don't mind, I didn't put all of my dresses in there, just the ones I liked the most." She said as she walked over to her half unpacked suitcase. She pulled out a couple more things, more like trinkets. Her camera that she carried around, some item that was wrapped in paper, and last…

"My scarf?" I asked as I looked at the red cloth. She smiled and looked up at me.

"I wanted something of yours so I could feel I was close to you. Whenever I felt lonely, I would wrap it around me and it would make me feel you were right there beside me." She said softly, running her fingers gently across the fabric. I knelt down to her and picked up the scarf, draping it around her shoulders.

"You look better wearing it than I do anyway" I said softly, earning a smile from her. She moved the items to a shelf but silently cursed as she moved the one wrapped in paper. As I looked, a few small pieces of glass fell from it, making a small pattering sound as it hit the table underneath.

"Is that your star ornament?" I asked her as I picked up the little pieces.

"Yeah" she replied sadly. "It held up for a while, but some of the smaller pieces started coming off. You can throw those pieces away, its ok."

I don't know why, but I didn't throw those pieces away. Instead, I stuck them inside a small box that was sitting on my bookshelf, deciding they held too many good memories to just get rid of. Taiga looked at me confused, but asked nothing. Letting out a yawn, she stretched her arms out then rubbed her tired eyes. "That train ride was exhausting" she said, "and now that I have a full belly, I can hardly keep my eyes open."

As she said this, she rummaged around through her suitcase and pulled out her sleeping gown. With a blush, she looked at me and said, "C-could you please turn around? I-it's still kinda… weird if you saw me change…"

I blushed about as deeply as she did, and complied, turning around as she slipped out of her day clothes and into her sleepwear. "Ok, I'm good now" she said gently, signaling that I could look again. I froze as I looked at her. I wasn't sure what it was, maybe the moonlight making her glow, but she looked… absolutely beautiful. "Wh-what are you staring at?" Taiga asked somewhat defensively, pulling her hands to her sides.

I kept my smile as I said, "You."

Her hands dropped to her side and she looked at me with an intensified blush. Looking back down she said "Wh-whatever mutt… let's get some sleep." I laid down in my futon and arranged myself so I laid comfortably, then looked up at her, who hadn't even budged yet.

"Taiga? Is everythi-"

I didn't get to finish my question before she quickly darted down, opening my covers and sliding herself down next to me. "Taiga?" I said with a mad blush. She simply sighed and turned around so she could nuzzle into my shoulder.

"I wanna stay close as I can… it's been way too long since I got to be with you… and now I want to be right here." She said softly, not looking up from her nuzzle area. I smiled gently and lifted her head to me so she could look up, then I leaned down and planted a soft kiss which she accepted without hesitation. She let out a happy sigh and snuggled in a little closer before saying "Goodnight Ryuuji"

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><p>The next morning was interrupted by the sound of my cell phone ringing on my desk. It was still early in the morning and Taiga and I were very much happy still laying there sleeping, but eventually the ringing became too much and Taiga groaned, bumping me with her foot and muttering, "Get the stupid phoooone, I can't sleep like thiiiis…"<p>

I groaned, annoyed by her bumping me, so I got up to get my phone, Taiga pulling the covers over her yet again. I saw that I was getting a call from Ami, what was she doing calling? "Hello?" I answered groggily before I was barraged by the loud voice of Ami Kawashima.

"YOU BONEHEAD! DID YOU FORGET WE'RE ALL GONNA HANG OUT WITH KITAMURA TODAY?! HURRY AND GET YOUR LAZY ASS OUT OF BED AND COME ON! WE WANNA SURPRISE HIM AT JOHNNY'S BUT WE CANT UNTIL YOU AND MISS PALMTOP GET OVER HERE!"

This was loud enough for Taiga to hear, as she turned around and glared at my phone, "Dumb Chihuahua! Quit your yapping already!" she said, making Ami stammer on the line.

"Wh-wha? Is Taiga… in your room with-"

"We will be there soon, sorry for sleeping in!" I said hurriedly as I ended the call. It wasn't that I didn't want them to know, I just didn't want Ami to know first… who knew how she would act if she had that piece of knowledge all to herself. I sighed and looked over at Taiga with an amused smile. She had pulled the cover over her face so only her eyes could be seen looking up at me.

"Do we really have to get up already?" she asked cutely, her voice somewhat muffled by the sheet. I chuckled and laid myself down next to her so she could snuggle into my shoulder again. "We promised we would do something special for Kitamura today, he's leaving for America today, remember? I'm sure he would have done the same if it were us."

Taiga groaned a little but kicked off the covers. Looking up at me, she gave me a quick peck and rolled over me and onto her knees. "Fine, but just this once. I wanna be able to sleep in tomorrow." She said as she grabbed a change of clothes and a towel. "I'm gonna get cleaned up, you should do the same… a-after me of course!" she said, her last bit there causing her to blush madly before darting off to the bathroom.

I couldn't help but chuckle, here living together, and the thought of being exposed still made us nervous to no end. I listened to the running water as I grabbed my own clothing, my attention returning to the small box where I had put the little glass fragments.

"_Not something generic, but something that will mean something to you both…"_

Those were the words of Taiga's mother that echoed through my head. Ideas ran through my head and I closed the box, placing it in my pants pocket before Taiga came back, changed and drying her hair with her towel.

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><p>It didn't take long to get cleaned up, and soon enough we were heading out toward Johnny's Where Kawashima and Kushieda were waiting on us. Taiga, who had her arm wrapped around my own, ran forward to greet Kushieda in her normal fashion, who in turn swung the small girl around with glee, saying her name in a sing-song voice.<p>

"It's about time you got here" said Kawashima, clearly annoyed by our late arrival, "did you really sleep in? Or were you too occupied by certain… bedroom guests?" she asked in a teasing manner, making me blush madly. Before I could answer, she simply laughed and said to the group, "Okay guys, let's get inside and wait for Kitamura."

With that said, we made our way inside, Kawashima leading, followed by Kushieda giving Taiga a piggy-back ride, then by me. I noticed that one section of the restaurant had a large section cleared, prepared for a good sized group. My guess was that Ami and Minori pulled some strings to get this to happen. It was strange to see Ami get so worked up over making sure this went well, perhaps it was because she had grown up with Kitamura. After about ten minutes, we spotted our guest of honor walking to the restaurant, and Ami signaled us to hide among the booths.

Kitamura walked in and looked around, not seeing us as he came closer to our seats, then we suddenly shot up yelling "SURPRISE!" in unison, taking him by complete surprise.

"You guys did all this for me?" Kitamura asked, rubbing the back of his head and chuckling. We all gathered around and greeted him with hugs before sitting down and ordering food. We had a large feast for breakfast, of course Kitamura didn't have to pay any of it since he was the guest of honor. We all talked about life now that we were graduated, what plans we had for college or jobs. Kawashima was going back into the modelling business full time after this, but decided she would commute so she could stay in this town near all of her friends. Kushieda still had her dreams of going to play softball for a big college, and even surprised us with an acceptation letter that she held with pride. Kitamura went on to talk about his plans with studying abroad and even hoping to find Sumire Kano, the student body president before him, while he was there. He really did care for that girl, I could tell.

Soon enough Kitamura looked at his watch and said "Well if I am going to catch my flight I might as well get going." He stood up, and so did we, saying we were going to see him off. He was happy to hear this, and together we made the way to the airport, joking and laughing all the way there. Eventually we reached his flight gate with ten minutes to spare, so we took the time to say our goodbyes.

Kushieda fist bumped him before pulling him into a hug, "Knock 'em dead! And let me know if you find a fat American in a scooter!" she said laughing at the visual thought. Kitamura agreed and said he would even take a picture for her to see.

Next was Taiga, who jumped up and hugged him, wishing him the best of luck in America, not that he would even need it.

Ami was a bit more emotional in her goodbye. Tearing up as she pulled him into a tight hug. "I've known you since we were little kids, I never thought I would have to say goodbye" she said as she held back her tears best she could. Kitamura tightened his hug and told her that he would miss her, and that he would be sure to call once he made it safely.

"Takasu" he said to me, gaining my attention. He walked me over a few feet so he could talk to me privately. "I am going to miss you buddy." He said to me, patting my shoulder, "Take care of Taiga ok? You two deserve one another, so don't ever let her go ok? And let me know when the wedding will be, because I will make sure to come for it!"

"You better come for it! You're gonna be the best man" I told him in reply, pulling him into a hug as his flight was being called to board. He waved his final goodbyes, and we stayed there until he was out of sight. "See ya later buddy" I muttered. As I did, I felt a small hand take mine, and I looked to see Taiga looking up at me with a gentle smile, like she was saying something with that expression. I knew what she was saying… and she was right. Just like with her, Kitamura leaving was not a 'goodbye', but more of an 'until next time'.

* * *

><p><strong>Remember when I said I would have a chapter up later this week? I actually meant like two hours later :P This filler chapter actually got smacked in the face with inspiration, and before I knew it, I had the whole thing typed up! Also, question to you readers, when it comes to saying names, I am not really familiar with the japanese ways of using them. I know they tend to use last names if it is a friend, and first names on a more personal basis, but should I just stick with their first names rather than bouncing back and forth? Let me know!<strong>

**ps... wow this chapter was long.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Paths to Take**

After Kitamura left for America, the rest of us decided to spend the rest of the day together. It was nice to see everyone together again, even if it was just for the afternoon. At one point we had gone to the market, seeing that someone was selling suama*, so we decided to treat ourselves as we walked along the town. As we walked, I came across the shop I was looking for.

"You guys go on ahead" I called to them as they were about to turn the corner, "I'll catch up, there is something I need to do."...

* * *

><p>"There you are! Where did you disappear to?" asked Taiga as she spotted me approaching. She ran up and threw her arms around my waist and nuzzled my chest, propping back up onto my feet so I could walk her back to where Kushieda was sitting on a nearby bench. Ami was nowhere to be found so I had guessed she decided to leave. How long was I in that shop?<p>

"Sorry, had something I needed to take care of real quick." I said with a chuckle as Taiga got off and sat back down with Kushieda. We chatted for a little while before Kushieda decided to head out, having to go to her job at the ramen shop, leaving Taiga and me alone.

As she left, Taiga jumped up and tugged my arm. "Come on! I wanna show you something!" she said, pulling me to my feet. For such a small girl, she was pretty damn strong. I was led blindly through the streets with Taiga, who was apparently on a mission to show me whatever it was she found.

"Taiga? Where are we-"

"Shut up and walk! You'll see when we get there!" she said with impatient excitement. Eventually, she stopped me and told me to cover my eyes. I had no idea what she was doing, but I had to admit my interest was rising by the second. She led me another ten or so paces forward then stopped. "Ready? Open them!"

I opened my eyes to see that she had brought me to one of the town's apartment complexes. Looking at her, she pointed happily to a sign that read:

'**Rooms available for rent, new tenants pay 55,000**¥** a month for 1 bedroom layout'****

"Minorin and I came across these while we were waiting on you. They were pretty good on price so I thought… maybe we could take a look at them?" she asked, her arms held behind her back as she looked at the ground, pressing her foot into the sidewalk. I smiled as she said this, I mean, how could I say no to her doing something so cute?

We had spent the rest of the afternoon looking at the apartments. They weren't too bad either, granted nothing like the old apartment that Taiga lived in prior, but they were at least livable, not to mention affordable. However, the new tenant deal only lasted until the end of summer, so if we wanted to get one, we would have to save as much money as we can quickly. With my savings on top of how much Taiga still had saved, we could be able to sign for one by the end of this month. Of course, I needed to put in the cost for Taiga's… gift that I got for her.

We went back home as the sun finally set, I went to work on dinner and Taiga went to change out of her dress. Yasuko was gone for work already so we had the house to ourselves, which I was happy with. I used the last of the cutlets to make some tonkatsu, and as those were frying, I prepared the rice to go with it. While that was going on, I didn't notice the small footsteps coming behind me until I felt her arms wrap around me. With a small smile I turned around to see Taiga look up at me, her chin now resting on my chest, her eyes sending an unspoken message. She was wearing a tank top as well as a pair of rather inviting shorts. All in all, she was just begging me for my attention, which I was happy to give her.

"As much as I love spending time with all our friends" I said as I lifted her up, looping my arms under her so she could 'sit' that way, "I was very much looking forward to our time alone."

Taiga let out a small giggle that was mixed with a sigh as she wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned in for a kiss. I accepted it with no questions, tightening my grip on her as she pressed her body harder against me, making sure there was no space in between us. She raked her hand through my hair again as our kisses became more intense, our tongues once more intertwined. Holding her up with one of my arms, my other travelled up her side, exploring her body. I didn't travel anywhere too invasive, not wanting her to be uncomfortable, even if she didn't seem to mind. I could hear her moaning again as we kissed, happily letting me know she was enjoying the affection. I could feel her legs slowly begin to wrap around me, locking themselves around my waist in her attempt to keep her body pressed against my own. I broke our kiss and began to kiss down the side of her neck, Taiga tilting her head to give me easier access as she breathed deeply in excitement. Her breath tickled my ear as she pressed her lips to the side of my head, feeling her soft lips as they travelled across this new territory.

"Ryuuji" she breathed as I continued kissing her soft skin. "Ryuuji…" she said again, "The rice is burning."

…What?... Immediately my head shot up to see the pot of rice boiling over, sizzling as it hit the stove, spitting up steam as it did.

"Crap crap crap!" I said as Taiga let out a laugh and hopped off from her perch, covering her mouth as she tried her best to hold back her giggling. I got the pot away from the stove, luckily I managed to save it in time, breathing a sigh of relief as I strained it and placed it in its warmer. I gathered up the plates and brought them to the kotatsu, followed by the tonkatsu and the rice. Taiga looked at the food with increasing anticipation, and as I sat myself down, she scooted herself over to me and reached for the meat instantly. I gave her a helping of the rice and she immediately went to feasting.

"Mmf! Ift delisus asf alwef!" she said through a stuffed mouth, swallowing and stuffing her mouth once again. I chuckled and at my own plate of food. It was a mystery where all that food went, the girl must've had the metabolism of a goddess. We continued eating side by side, then when dinner was done, Taiga helped me, yeah can you believe it? Helped me with the dishes. Once we were finished, she walked over to the television where she stretched out across the floor and turned it on, browsing the channels.

I laid down next to her and she rolled over so her back was pressed against me, my arm wrapped around her waist. We stayed in this silence for a short while before she let out a small sigh.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her, having her turn around to look at me.

She looked down a little while before looking up at me before replying, "Since the entire year that I have been gone, I've heard no word about my dad. It isn't that I really care, and him disappearing isn't anything out of the ordinary… but the fact he disappeared after his company went bankrupt, it's like he just… vanished. I guess I just wonder what happened to him."

I looked at her with concern in her eyes. Did she really want to know what happened to that asshole? After everything he had done to her, leaving her after getting her hopes up about having a father in her life… twice? "I… I don't know Taiga… I'm not sure what happened. Maybe we'll find out one day."

Her reaction was less than desirable, as she curled up into herself a little more, not saying a word. I guess in a way, sometimes I wondered the same thing about my dad. Leaving before I was even born. As much as I hate him… I still find myself wondering where he might be. I didn't let myself dwell on this, however. Instead, I wrapped my arm around Taiga and pulled her in, kissing her forehead. She looked up at me with those sad eyes, and I looked at her with a strong gaze. Gently wiping a strand of hair away from her face, I leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips and said, "Some things we just can't answer, as much as we would want to. As upset as it would make us, we may never get the answers we want. But I will tell you this, as long as you are here with me, I will do everything within my own power to take away any tears, and to make you smile. I don't care about the things I don't know, because I don't need those answers. Everything I need is right here with me, and I will make it my mission, to keep it the way it is."

She sighed again and smiled at me, snaking an arm around my neck so she could pull me down for another kiss. "You are the sappiest man I know, Ryuuji. And I love you for it."

I smiled back, and soon enough we were cuddled close to one another, watching the television until before we knew it, we were both asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>*Suama is a rice flour snack mixed with sugar and red dye, meant to represent the Japanese flag, but really just comes out a pinkish color on the outside.<strong>

****55,000 yen, while seeming like a large amount, only equals approximately 476 US dollars! To have that as a monthly rent rate, hell im moving to japan! **

**Yeah, a bit of a shorter filler chapter. TO be completely honest I wasnt too proud of this chapter. Sure it went on to give a little anticipation as to what Ryuuji was doing, and a little on the fathers, not to mention the fluff, but I dont know. Let me know what you guys think about it! Hope it wasnt too bad! Dont fret, because I plan to start a little drama here soon. not necessarily between the couple, but just some new hardships they will have to face together. Until next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Unexpected**

I shouldn't have fallen asleep on the floor. I woke up to feeling more sore than I ever have before, the entire side of my body was stiff, and the arm that Taiga ended up laying on went numb and limp. As carefully as I could manage, I slid myself out from Taiga's grasp, made all the more difficult with my arm being a dead-weight for the time being. When I managed to bring myself to a sitting position, I used my still working arm to move my dead one, trying to get the blood flow back into it. Eventually the feeling of pins came across it and slowly I was regaining motion back into it, and a few seconds later it was back to its former self. I let out a yawn and stretched out my stiff body, joints popping as I did, making me feel like an old man. Looking over at the clock, I noticed that it was 8:30 a.m., remembering that I had work at the bakery today at 11. Figuring I should go ahead and get some breakfast ready, I stood up and began to head to the kitchen. A small noise turned me back around and I looked to see Taiga, in her sleep, was grasping the air, subconsciously looking for her human pillow. I smiled at the sleeping figure, she looked adorable when she slept. I crouched down and scooped up the little tiger, carrying her to the bedroom where I laid her down on the futon. After making sure her covers were tucked around her well, I gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead and headed back to the kitchen.

I decided today I would make some tamagoyaki* along with a side of miso soup**, so I took out the eggs as well as the ingredients for the soup and got to work. There was something about the sizzling sound of chopped vegetables on the stove as I cooked that made me feel peaceful. Cooking was one of my favorite things to do, and it was pretty much therapeutic for me. Plus, it made Taiga and my mom happy when I would cook up something good for… well any meal really. A quick look through the cupboard revealed that I needed to go to the market today and pick up some groceries, perhaps I can make it there before they close once I get off work. I was almost finished with breakfast when I heard the sliding open of a door, and looked back to see Yasuko up, sliding her feet across the tatami mats as she made her way over to me.

"Mooorning Ryu~" she said in the midst of a yawn, her blond curly hair falling in her face, "Whattya making? It smells really yummy."

"Just some tamagoyaki and miso soup" I answered as she let out another yawn, "what are you doing up so early?"

"I got off work today because I wanted to spend time with Taiga-chan" she replied with a sleepy smile, "Since you have work, I figured it would be good that she had some company, plus I never got to have any girl time with her so I figured it would be fun."

I smiled and placed a hand over Yasuko's head, it was nice to see her doing more than laying around hung over. Ever since I convinced her to let me keep my bakery job, she didn't have to work as many nights, and we even managed to keep a little extra money. She dragged herself back to her room, reaching for her clothes to change, but ended up dozing back off. I chuckled, figuring the two of them would have plenty of sleep before they even got the energy to get up.

I finished making breakfast and made sure to leave plenty for Taiga and Yasuko before sitting at the kotatsu. Inko was busy preening as I ate, making small noises that I assumed was his equivalent of humming. As I ate and watched the bird, I heard the door to my room open, turning around to see Taiga rubbing her eyes with one hand, her other holding her pillow to her chest.

"What is it with you and waking up so early?" she muttered through a yawn, shuffling her feet and slumping down next to me. She placed the pillow against my arm and leaned against it, taking my free hand in hers, once again fiddling with my fingers. Looking at my plate, she didn't hesitate to slowly reach out to it, taking a piece of the eggs and quickly pulling it to her, nibbling the morsel and letting out a tired sigh.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her little display, thinking it was insanely cute. "I guess it's just a habit, I've always been the one to get up first, not to mention waking you up every day."

She looked up at me and stuck out her tongue, snatching another bite of my breakfast. "Yasuko said you were working today, how long of a shift?" she asked me, looking up as she waited for my answer.

"Not too long really, from eleven to five today. Its payday too, so I thought we could get a little something special for dinner." I replied. This got her attention, and she seemed a little more awake. I could tell she was thinking of what to get, her head already filling with all kinds of ideas.

"Hmmm, I'll have to think about that" she said with a mischievous grin, making me regret my offer.

I finished breakfast, with Taiga's help of course, and went ahead to serve her plate as well, which she ate without trouble. Seriously, where does this food go? Once she finished, she brought her plate to the sink, helping to wash them. It was nice to see that she had improved, not making as big of a mess with the water then she did before.

We killed some time playing video games for a bit, and when I say play, I mean Taiga downright owned me on every single fighting game I had. Before I knew it, it was around 10:30, time for me to head out.

"Normally I would walk with you to the bakery, but since I am spending the day around town, I need a bit of time to get ready." Said Taiga as I opened the front door. I smiled and assured her it was fine, and turned around to leave. Before I could go, however, she grabbed the collar of my shirt and turned me back around, pressing her lips against mine and wrapping her arms around me. We kissed for a short while before she looked up at me with her smile and said, "I love you, dumb mutt."

"I love you too, little tiger" I replied to her before heading out to the bakery.

I made it about ten minutes until my shift started, enough time to change into my uniform and set up the table outside the shop. The owner had a new special on chocolates to celebrate the graduation of my high school class, so throughout the day I managed to see quite a few of my school friends. I was surprised to see Noto Hisamitsu walking up with Maya Kihara, as I had never really seen the two of them without their other friends around.

"Heyya Takasu!" said Hisamitsu happily, waving with his free hand as his other arm had Maya's hands wrapped around them. I was happy to finally see the two of them together, after Hisamitsu finally gathered the courage to confess to her near the end of the year. I smiled and waved back as they approached, browsing the selection on the table.

"How has your first days as graduates been?" I asked the two. Kihara looked up and smiled saying;

"It's been great! Got to spend a lot of time with all our friends without having to worry about classes, and sleeping in a little has been pretty great too! Noto and I are planning to take a trip together to the beach, maybe you and Taiga can tag along! How is she by the way? I heard she came back recently!"

"I wouldn't want to intrude on your guys' vacation, and since you asked, she is great. She's spending the day with my mom while I work. To be honest a little vacation wouldn't be too bad of an idea though." I replied happily, wondering about how fun it could be perhaps spending a week at Kawashima's beach house with Taiga. While it would be fun to have everyone together… I wondered how it would be if it were just the two of us…

"Hey Takasu, you ok? What's with the weird smile?" Said Hisamitsu, looking at me with a raised eyebrow and a confused expression. I shook myself out of my trance, embarrassed I was caught with such thoughts. If Taiga were here she would've called me a perverted dog. Though something tells me that she would not have minded the idea of it.

"Y-yeah, sorry about that" I replied, rubbing the back of my head. They browsed a little bit longer before choosing the chocolates they wanted and paying. After they had left, the rest of the day sort of just idly passed, nothing incredibly notable happened and before I knew it, my shift was over. I changed out of my uniform and gathered my payment. I calculated that I had about thirty five hours put in since the last payday, making it around 45552.15 ¥*. If I kept these hours up, not to mention the extra I could get now that school was done, we could have that apartment sooner than we planned!

I sent a quick text to Taiga, letting her know I had finished my shift and was on the way to the market if she wanted to meet me there. On my way, I spotted the shop I had stopped in yesterday, deciding to stop in and see if Taiga's gift was ready. I remembered the shop owner said this particular gift would not take long…

"_So do you think you can make something with these?" I asked the owner._

"_Some simple little glass pieces? Why would you want to make something with these?"_

"_They were part of something that meant a lot to my girlfriend, and I know that she would love it."_

"_I see, well do not fret then, I will have something ready very soon! Now, was there anything else you wanted to do for your fiancé?"_

Remembering that conversation brought a smile to my face, the fact he called her my fiancé and not just my girlfriend. It was still strange to say it, but not in a bad way. I walked in and saw the owner's face light up as he saw me. "Well, well! Glad to see you are here, I had just finished your order."

I was glad to hear that, and even more glad when the owner brought it for me to see. "It's perfect!" I said excitedly, closing it in its little box that it rested in. Since I had paid for it the day I made the order, I was able to say my goodbyes and leave, making my way to the market. My phone went off and I saw that I had a text from Taiga:

_Ryuuji, something happened, meet me at the front of the market, and please hurry._

My heart immediately sank as I read that message, wondering what it was that could've happened. I placed the gift in my pocket and I ran for the market, not wanting to waste any time to get there. Scenario after scenario popped into my head, Taiga had gotten hurt, or Yasuko, an accident or something… I had to hurry to see what it was.

Soon enough I was at the market, there I saw a worried looking Yasuko, Taiga leaned against her as if for support.

"Taiga!" I called out, making my way to them. Taiga turned to look at me, her eyes soaked with tears as she ran straight for me. I wrapped her in my arms as she ran into me, clinging onto my shirt and sobbing slightly. "Taiga… what's wrong? What happened? Are you and Yasuko alright?" I asked her, worry heavy in my tone.

"I… w-we're al-alright" she said through her sobs before taking a deep breath, I breathed a silent sigh of relief that none of them were hurt, but I still wondered what shook her up so badly. She looked up at me with her tear stained face, a mix of anger, sadness and fear in her eyes. "I-I was going to make a withdrawal from my account at the bank, m-me and Ya-chan were going to go to the clothing store… b-but… I couldn't make any withdrawals… I went in the bank to see what was wrong, and I looked at my balance… Ryuuji… someone cleared me of all my savings! I have nothing left!"

* * *

><p><strong>*Tamagoyaki: basically known as a "Rolled omelette", usually stuffed with veggies and even meat!<strong>

****Miso Soup: a good breakfast accompaniment, usually consists of meat, broth, veggies, and tofu!**

***This equals to about 385 US Dollars, I went off the current Japanese minimum wage which is 11 US Dollars an hour. Luckies...**

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN! I do wonder who this mysterious person is who had the gal to steal from our precious Taiga! And also, WOW, this chapter took too long to make. Sorry for the late entry, I had been dealing with a lot at home and school, and not much rest time in between. Hopefully I can get the next chapter out a little sooner than this one took. Again, if you guys have anything you would like to say about the story, feel free to leave a review! If you know anyone who may be interested in reading this, let them know! The more I see people enjoying it will be my inspiration to keep writing! Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Catching Your Fall**

I felt a weight drop into my stomach as Taiga said this. Someone had taken out all of her savings? A million emotions sprang into me, fear, curiosity, anger… but I tried my best to cover those emotions, it wouldn't do Taiga any good to see me that way when she was already upset. Instead, I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to me. I felt her tighten her grip on my shirt as I did, and with a free hand, I gently stroked her hair. Yasuko looked as if she wanted to comfort Taiga as well, but decided for now, she needed me first.

"Hey" I said, "it's gonna be ok. I am right here, we are going to fix this. Everything is going t-"

"How?!" snapped Taiga, taking me by surprise, pushing me back and looking up at me with anger and tear filled eyes. "How is this all going to be ok?! I just said I lost _everything_! I have no money, what am I going to do about that?! I have payments I need to make! What can be done to fix what just-"

"I don't know how to fix it Taiga!" I said, cutting her off and taking her by surprise. I grabbed her shoulders so she would stay facing me. I didn't care if anyone was looking at us now, all I knew was that Taiga needed to snap out of this. "I have no idea what we can do about this, but all I know is that I am going to do what I can to figure it out. You say you lost everything? I think that's total bullshit! I'm still here aren't I? Yasuko is still here, right? If we aren't part of your 'everything', then I must have been pretty damn mistaken! I don't care about the money, Taiga, I care about you. We can still get by, but even without any money at all, as long as I go to bed knowing you are by my side and happy, then that is everything to me! I want you to know that." At this point, I lowered my voice to a more gentle tone, "Even with nothing in the world, having you will be everything for me… and as long as you are here, I will do everything I can to make sure you stay happy."

She was silent for a while, looking down at the sidewalk in front of her feet. I sighed and was close to letting go of her when she let out a soft, "You're right…"

She looked up at me, her eyes still wet with tears, but the anger had gone. She held a gentle smile on her face, her expression… loving. "You're right, Ryuuji… as you usually are… and here I am being selfish like always. To be honest, it wasn't even the money being gone that worked me over so badly… I guess it was the thought of it being gone so easily that shook me. I spent most of my life with only myself and my bank account to feel safe and secure, so much that the thought of losing what helped me to live alone was one of my worst fears. But… that changed when we started spending time together, because for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel so alone, like I had someone I could lean on should I ever need it. But I was still selfish… and even right now I haven't changed."

She began to tear up again, leaning her head onto my chest as she continued, holding back sobs;

"Every m-minute I am w-with you, I-I feel safe… I m-may never show it l-like I sh-should, but I do… I don't care about the money… I c-care about you R-R-Ryuuji… th-the thought of losing you… I… I… can't…"

"You are never going to lose me, Taiga." I said as I realized she wasn't going to be able to finish her sentence. She looked up at me again, tears pouring from her eyes as she bit her lip to keep from sobbing. I caressed her cheek with my hands, using a thumb to wipe away a falling tear as I leaned down and kissed her. I could feel her returning the kiss, as if she didn't want to forget the feeling of it. I smiled down at her and said, "Now, like I said, I got paid today, so tonight's dinner is gonna be your choice, so what would you like to have?"

Her lip quivered a bit and she leaned her head against my chest once again, but even then I could hear her slightly muffled response…

"H…H-hamburgers…*"

* * *

><p>That night, I made western style hamburgers and French fries. They turned out pretty well, and I guess Taiga thought the same thing, as she tore through four of them without any kind of trouble. I could tell that she was still troubled, but she did her best to not show it. My thoughts had drifted back to earlier, just as we had finished with the shopping. Yasuko walked with Taiga back to the house so they could set up the kotatsu for dinner when I said I had one more errand to run…<p>

_I made my way to the bank where Taiga uses the ATM, heading to the front desk area. The lady was busy with some papers on her desk, so I said to her, "Excuse me, I need some help ma'am."_

_ She looked up and flinched back, looking at me with fear. I was confused until I realized it must have been my eyes… dammit. "Wh-what do you n-need sir?" she stammered, not tearing her eyes away from me, making me slightly annoyed._

_ "My name is Ryuuji Takasu, and I need to report an issue that my fiancé had earlier today." I said to her, seeing her calm down when she realized I wasn't here to rob her. "I think someone cleared out her savings without her knowledge or consent, is there any way you can help us out with that?"_

_ The lady thought a moment then began typing onto her computer. "Name of your fiancé please?"_

_ "Taiga Aisaka."_

_ A few more types into the computer, a few clicks and the lady pulled up her account information. Her expression changed a little as she then said, "I can see where the money was taken out, it was earlier today like you said, but the transaction was legal." She looked at my confused expression and continued, "Ms. Aisaka is not the only holder of this account, seeing as it was opened by her father a few years back. The transaction says here that it was used by his card, so there was no foul play or any kind of illegal transaction."_

_ This made my heart skip a beat, did Taiga really never close that joined account with her dad? That klutz… that meant he could've cleared her out at any time… it was nothing more than a ticking time bomb…_

_ "I am sorry that I can't be too much help, I would make a report with the police if I were you… oh, I can help you and your fiancé with one thing."_

_ I looked at her curiously as she continued to say, "The transaction was done in one of our banks in the next town. There aren't many of ours, so I would assume he wouldn't stay far from where he could make the transaction."…_

The paper of the next banks address rested in my pocket as I ate dinner that night. The thought of her own father taking her money out again… it took an effort to not get angry… the bastard. The last time he did this, he kept trying to contact her and get back in touch… just to desert her again. Now this time, he didn't even bother to call her. He was the most selfish man I had ever met, I felt sorry that Taiga had to deal with this…

_'I promise Taiga'_ I said in my mind, _'I will not let something like this happen ever again…'_

"Hey Ryuuji" said Taiga, taking me out of my trance. I looked over to see her… smiling at me… holding her plate to me and asking, "Mind if I have another?"

I couldn't help but smile back. This girl has been through all kinds of hell, even now, after over a year of not seeing or hearing from her father, he still managed to screw her over once again… and she still smiles. I handed her another patty, taking the last one for myself so we wouldn't have to deal with leftovers. I thought to the small box that was hiding in my pocket, the gift I had for Taiga. Something told me that right now, it wouldn't be the time to give it to her. Knowing her, it would be a lot like the first time I said I loved her… I would have to find the right time and place.

Taiga and I cleaned the dishes and soon enough we were in the room gathering our clothes for our baths. I guess it was out of habit that I took my day shirt off as I gathered my pajamas, but I looked over to see Taiga staring… blushing at me. I raised a curious eyebrow when I noticed why she was getting flustered.

"Oh come on Taiga, it's not like you haven't seen me shirtless before."

"I know that!" said Taiga, her blush deepening as she squeezed her eyes shut, "Its… just that… it was in a public place… not alone with you…" When she explained it, I guess she had a point, but that only made me chuckle. I sat down on my nearby chair and looked at her as she opened her eyes slightly.

"Come here" I said, extending a hand out to her. She looked at me like I was insane for a second, but took a breath and shuffled over to me, taking my hand. With a playful smirk, I pull her toward me and wrap my arms around her waist. She let out a small 'eep' before my lips met hers. She had tensed for a few seconds before relaxing into my embrace, wrapping her arms around my neck. As we continued to kiss, I could feel her pressing her body against me, feeling the fabric of her shirt against my bare skin. Her hand ran across my chest as her other hand made its way to the back of my head, her fingers closing on my hair as her kissed intensified.

With a small breath, she pushed back a little, I could tell she was thinking something, it was in her eyes. Her fingers played with the bottom of her shirt a little before she took in a deep breath and pulled it over her head and let it fall to the ground. Time seemed to have stood still at this moment, completely unexpected by me. I couldn't help but match her blush as she looked down at the ground. After a few seconds, she wrapped her arms to cover her bra as she said;

"I know what you'll say… I'm not like other girls who actually have a figure… I'm nothing but an underdeveloped, flat chested girl…"

"Stop that, Taiga." I said with a strong and stern tone. She looked up at me with wider eyes, waiting for me to continue. "If that was what I cared about, do you really think you would be here with me right now? I didn't fall in love with a figure, I fell in love with you, Taiga. I care about you, Taiga. To me, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, and you will always be that to me. Now come back here." I finished, holding out my hand once more.

She looked like she was thinking of something to say, but came up with nothing. Instead, she gave me her loving gaze once more, taking my hand and wasting no time with coming close to me again. Eventually, she sat herself on my lap as we kissed. I could feel an almost yearning in her kiss, trying to get her fill of affection that I could only give… it was the same with me for her.

_'I will always be yours, Taiga. Through thick and thin I will stay by your side… to catch you should you fall, to pick you up when you are down. We will get through what happened, together…'_

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><p><strong><em>*Unlike American Style hamburgers (which is what he ended up making anyway but this is a good education point) Japanese style 'hamburgers' actually are quite different. First, they do not use buns or any traditional sense of condiments that we are familiar with. The hamburgers are served as the dish itself usually with a sauce to go over it, usually the sauce consists of red wine, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, etc. The hamburgers are usually served in ball form so they are more easily picked up and eaten with chopsticks! <em>**

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><p><strong>Yeah remember when I said that I would update this quickly? That was a lie. I sorry :( <strong>**But I am pretty happy with this chapter! Got a little bit going on with the father, and it was mostly gonna be about how Ryuuji is gonna react with these situations. More will definitely happen in the next chapter, and be prepared for Minori to come back for it! Until Next time!**


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